BANTAY GOBYERNO (SERIES 2010031)

By Ike Señeres

The Hostage Incident in Manila Was Pure Municipal Madness. And Rating Some New Cabinet Officials’ Performances

T he recent hostage incident in Manila was a police matter indeed, but it was really a municipal matter too. Mayor Alfredo Lim had the right to be there because he was the local chief executive, but was he right in giving orders to arrest the brother of the hostage taker?

The PNP is supposed to be a civilian organization, but many of its officers are still graduates of the military academy. The search and destroy mentality is apparently difficult to forget. As they say in the vernacular, “Utak pulbura”.

Why are PNP officers still using military ranks even if they are supposed to be civilian officers? Military ranks and military insignias are part of an old culture that they should already forget, because their job now is to maintain peace and order, not to fight foreign aggressors. Those among them who think like soldiers should be sent to battle against insurgents.

Hong Kong is a city but as a Special Administrative Region (SAR), it has the functionality of a province. That being the case, it is more correct protocol for MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino to deal with Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. For all intents and purposes, MMDA has the functionality of a province.

The Senate and the House are having a heyday investigating the incident. Of course the Congress has the right to investigate whatever they want in aid of legislation, but is it not also right for the Manila City Council to have their own investigation, this being a municipal matter?

Former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza may have a chance to get back to his old post, after the COMELEC allowed him to pursue his election protest. The issue in this case is not whether there was cheating or not, nationally or locally. The issue is whether the PCOS machines used in Manila were defective or not.

Members of the media are being blamed for some fiascos in connection with the hostage taking incident. Why not blame the police instead? Media people are just ordinary civilians who would obey what the police would tell them. If the government does not want media people to make certain actions, they should just tell them what to do and what not to do in crisis situations.

DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo reported that the PNP still has a remaining budget for the modernization of their equipment for crisis situations. Well, what are they waiting for? Are they waiting for a crisis before they would spend it? That fund, whatever it is, is not like the calamity fund that has to wait for a disaster before it could be spent.

Rating Some New Cabinet Officials

S ome DEPED employees want Secretary Armin Luistro out. Is it not too soon for them to make such a demand? What is the matter with them? Is Brother Armin making it difficult for them to go about their old evil ways? Too bad for them, he is presumed to be working on good faith, while the corrupt ones are perceived to be on the negative side.

DOT Secretary Bertie Lim is off to a bad start; after it came out that many Hong Kong residents canceled their flights and their hotel bookings. It is too soon to judge him too, because he too is presumed to be working on good faith. He is a manager, and he should know what to do.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez seems to be off to a good start, after the BOC confiscated a large shipment of illegal drugs. He should do more however, to erase the perception that he is working on bad faith, after it was discovered that he cheated on his golf scores.

Miss Philippines Venus Raj and the Miss Universe Pageant

M any are blaming Venus Raj for not winning the Miss Universe crown, but what would they have done if they were in her situation?

We should stop while we are ahead, and we should be happy with what we get in a transparent contest where there is no corruption. What did we want her to do? Did we want her to cheat on her answers?

Some countries are funding government agencies or private foundations to discover and groom their candidates for international beauty contests. We are not doing that, in the same way that we are ignoring the local soccer teams who could possibly carry our flag to the World Cup.

Confusing Government Agencies’ Acronyms

W hat is the real score in the DOTC? Without the communications functions, should we now call it the DOT? That will be confusing, since the Department of Tourism has the same initials. Is the government pushing through with plans to create a Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)?

It may be a good idea to merge LTO with LTFRB. That might look good, but it might not look good to see another department created while another bureau is supposedly abolished for streamlining purposes. The government should really put its act together in a logical plan of action. # # #

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